NFL Power Rankings: 11 Best Players To Build a Team Around

Brett Favre recently expressed his surprise that Aaron Rodgers had not managed to win a Super Bowl earlier than he did. Rodgers replied gracefully that he was happy to have won at all, and insisted that the victory was a team effort. What Favre failed to realize in scrutinizing Rodgers' performance is that players like Aaron Rodgers don't come along every day.

Rodgers uniquely became the cornerstone of a franchise that had just lost its quarterback. Not just anyone can lead a team to the Super Bowl, let alone when taking over for arguably the most important figure in a team's history. Rodgers proved that he is among an elite group of NFL players that teams can be built around.

Here are 11 other players (well, ten players and one position) that can lead an up-and-coming franchise. 

Cam Newton

As a rookie quarterback, most expected Newton to stumble coming out of the gate. He obviously was not ready for NFL defenses with quick linebackers running towards him and sneaky cornerbacks jumping his passes. Newton would probably rely too much on his feet and get himself into bad situations by scrambling too much.

Newton has proven all of his critics wrong this season. He has thrown for 1,600 yards, completed close to 60 percent of his passes and has become the leader of the Carolina Panthers.

Although his record is a less than stellar 1-4, the important thing to note is that Newton has made the Panthers competitive in every game they have played. If a ball had bounced another way, a penalty had not been called or a field goal made, the Panthers could very easily be 4-1.

Newton is young, he has proven that he can run an NFL offense, and he has a winner’s mentality. For a team that will be exciting and competitive every weekend, start with Cam Newton as the quarterback, and the rest will fall into place.

Sam Bradford

While not as electrifying as Newton, Bradford has proven that he, too, belongs in the NFL. Even though the Rams haven’t surrounded him with quite enough supporting talent, Bradford has still managed to excel.

His team was one win away from reaching the playoffs last season. If Bradford had accomplished that feat, having started every game his rookie season, he would have become one of only four players to do so, all within the past four seasons. Bradford passed for over 3,500 yards last season and showed that the shoulder injuries that plagued him at Oklahoma are firmly behind him.

Bradford is young—just 23—and by all accounts a nice guy. His teammates respect and like him, which is not something that can be said for all quarterbacks in this league. Bradford will be playing for a long time and will get better every season.

Adrian Peterson

Sure, the shelf life of an NFL running back is not long. Maybe five to seven years, maximum, depending on how often they carry the ball. Yes, Adrian Peterson is in his fifth season in the league and is 26 years old. Of course, he could be the player a team is built around.

Peterson has stayed relatively healthy for his entire career. His average yards per carry have stayed right around 4.5. Most importantly, he is a player who knows the game and who is overall a good teammate.

Peterson probably does not have too many years left of being a featured NFL tailback. However, he would be invaluable in mentoring a young running back and could ensure that team chemistry stays strong.

Remember, he endured Brett Favre’s systematic dismantling of the Minnesota Vikings, and this season is keeping a team together that is led by a well past his prime Donovan McNabb. Peterson will ensure that the team is playing together and continue to rack up yards for at least a few more years.

Clay Matthews

In just his third season in the NFL, Clay Matthews is one of the most feared defenders in football. He can get to the quarterback seemingly at will and frustrate him all game. Last season, Matthews had 60 tackles with 54 of them solo. That shows that once he gets an opposing player in his grasp, he needs no help in taking him down. 

Matthews had 10 sacks his rookie season and 13.5 in 2010. He also returned an interception 62 yards for a touchdown. Matthews is one of those players who can do a little bit of everything and led a defense by example.

Matthews went to college at USC and already has a Super Bowl ring with the Packers, giving him more experience than most three-year NFL veterans due to the good teams on which he has played. Matthews is a player who can anchor a defense and will infect his teammates with the same drive and desire to win that he brings to every game.

Darren McFadden

Darren McFadden is in his fourth year as an NFL running back, however, he will remain productive because he did not have many carries in his first two seasons.

In 2008 and 2009 combined, McFadden carried the ball 217 times total. He rushed for 856 yards and averaged only four yards per carry. In 2010, McFadden was finally given leeway to run. He carried the ball 223 times for 1,157 yards, averaging over five yards per carry.

McFadden was able to use his first two years with the Raiders to learn how to be effective. He got practice reps and game reps so when his time came, he was ready. Consider last season as his first full season in the league and it becomes clear that McFadden will be putting up big numbers for a while longer.

A.J. Green

A.J. Green is in his first season in the league, playing with a rookie quarterback and playing for a team with its fair share of drama in the offseason. The Bengals have surprised many people this season, but they are still a far cry from a very good team. 

One would expect, then, that Green’s numbers might be well below his true capabilities. If that is the case, the NFL world is in for a shock if Green is ever traded to a team with a good, veteran quarterback. Green has had two games in which he has accounted for over 100 yards and another game with 90 yards. He is averaging 16.8 yards per catch and has proven he is a deep threat.

The Bengals want to hold on to Green. He is a dynamic playmaker that an offense can build around for many years.

Calvin Johnson

Calvin Johnson, also known as Megatron, is a beast. He can catch virtually anything thrown in his general direction and can beat double coverages with ease. In some NFL-wide case of amnesia this season, teams have consistently left Johnson in single coverage with an opportunity to win the game. He has come through every time.

Johnson has already scored nine touchdowns in 2011 for the surprising Detroit Lions and is averaging over 15 yards per catch. More importantly, Johnson is young (26 years old) but already has four years of NFL experience. Because Johnson has toiled in the bleak abyss that has been the Detroit Lions for his entire NFL tenure, he is ready to win.

Johnson has joined forces with his teammates and found a way to make a team that was once the laughing stock of the league not only relevant, but very good. 

Tight End

While it is not necessarily advisable to build an entire NFL team around a tight end, one good playmaker at the position could drastically alter a team’s chances of winning. Quarterbacks are looking to tight ends as receivers more frequently with every game. Players at this position have the quickness to beat linemen and the size to overpower safeties. 

With a reliable tight end to throw to, a young quarterback’s life can be much easier. Cam Newton has two in Greg Olsen and Jeremy Shockey and look at his numbers so far. Jermaine Gresham and Jimmy Graham are two young tight ends who have proven that they are capable of catching the ball and making big plays. Gresham has made Andy Dalton’s life as the Bengals rookie quarterback much nicer. Graham has inspired Drew Brees’s confidence and has become the Saints’ leading receiver. 

A good tight end can transform a team from fairly good to playoff contender. So when building a team from the ground up, investing in such a playmaker is always worthwhile.

Ndamukong Suh

Ndamukong Suh is a playmaker. He does not back down from anyone and is not afraid of a little extra contact. In just his second year in the NFL, he has already proven that he is one of the elite defensive tackles in the league. 

While Suh’s attitude can come off as mean and angry, he is more hated by opponents than teammates. Suh can energize an entire defense and boost his team’s confidence. He is one of the main reasons that the Detroit Lions are off to such a great start this season.

In 2010, Suh had 66 tackles, 10 sacks, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery and one interception. Those are pretty astounding stats for any player, let alone a rookie. As with all young players, Suh will continue to get better, and that is a scary prospect for his opponents.

Tom Brady

If you want to win, you want Tom Brady to be your quarterback. He has thrown for over 36,000 yards and 275 touchdowns in his career. On two occasions, he has ended a season with a passer rating over 100.

Tom Brady has not played with tremendous talent around him at all times. Deion Branch and Wes Welker are two players who, if they had been on almost any other team, would have remained unknown for their entire careers. Brady allowed both of them to showcase their talent by being such a dependable quarterback.

Brady is a winner, pure and simple. There are some people who have incredible skill but never manage to win. Then there are people like Brady who seem born to win big games. He has won three Super Bowls, and there is no telling when he will stop.

Ben Roethlisberger

Ben Roethlisberger may not be the nicest, most reputable man off the field, but his teammates respect him entirely. One trait that a leader must have is his ability to play through injuries. Roethlisberger would play in a full body cast if his doctors allowed it.

Roethlisberger is consistent. Simply mentioning his consistency is underrating its importance to the Pittsburgh Steelers. Roethlisberger’s completion percentage has never dipped below 59 percent, and he rarely makes erratic throws that can cause receivers to lose confidence in their quarterback. 

Like Brady, Roethlisberger simply knows how to win. He inspires confidence in his teammates and steps up when the lights are brightest.